Footwear

ABSTRACT

A shoe for enhancing the appearance of a wearer&#39;s arch, the shoe comprising an outer portion, and an instep portion, wherein said instep portion is shaped and positioned to create the illusion of a longer or higher arch. The invention includes an instep portion is made from an elastic material. Said instep portion is shaped longer and higher than the wearer&#39;s natural arch. Said instep portion is made of the same material as the rest of the shoe but further comprises a design or color to create an appearance of a shadow or is made from a material different in color or in composition from the rest of the shoe. The invention further comprises an arch support mechanism, said arch support mechanism proximate to the instep portion. The arch support mechanism comprises an elastic band stretching along the instep of the foot and/or an inner support layer made from an elastic material.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is related to footwear, more specifically shoes for dancers to enhance the appearance of the foot and to provide support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most dancers, especially ballet dancers, are usually seeking ways to train their feet to be more flexible so that they can achieve a beautiful, elongated line when they point their feet. This elongated line may be essential to their art and impact their ability to exude elegance and grace. While dancers may improve their ability to point their toes through the right flexibility exercises and strength training, physiological limitations, such as height and length of the arch, and bone structure hinder many dancers' progress and ability to achieve the “perfect line.”

Shoes currently available do not sufficiently help dancers achieve that “perfect line.” While they provide cover and protection for the feet, they are not designed to help increase the foot's flexibility and or help dancers point their toes.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved shoe for enhancing and protecting a dancer's foot while helping them achieve a more elongated line that overcomes drawbacks and inadequacies of known shoe designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS

A shoe for enhancing the appearance of a wearer's arch, the shoe comprising an outer portion, and an instep portion, wherein said instep portion is shaped and positioned to create the illusion of a longer or higher arch. A shoe comprising an outer portion, an inner portion, and an elastic arch support, wherein the elastic arch support is positioned proximate the inner portion along the instep of a wearer's foot. A shoe comprising an outer portion, an inner portion having an arch region, an elastic arch support, and at least one bunion suppression portion, wherein the elastic arch support is positioned proximate the inner portion along the instep of a wearer's foot, wherein the arch region of the inner portion is shaped and positioned to create the illusion of a longer or higher arch, and wherein the at least one bunion suppression portion is positioned to prevent the wearer's foot from development of a bunion.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification. Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a top perspective of a shoe in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a bottom perspective of a shoe in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a bottom perspective of a shoe in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In general, such embodiments relate to a shoe for dancing. It is to be understood that any size, shape or construction of the shoe are all within the scope of the invention. Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Reference is made to FIGS. 1-2, in which a shoe 100 for dancing, which may be as a pointe shoe or a slipper, in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention is shown having an opening 10, a toe portion 20, an inner portion 30, an outer portion 40, a heel portion 50, and a bottom portion 60. Generally, the shoe may be constructed in various textiles and shapes and may include more than one layer. It may include different types of textiles for different portions of the shoe. It may also include hypoallergenic textiles and textiles that are breathable to help protect the dancer's feet. For example, the shoe 100 may have an outer layer made of canvas or leather that are thick enough to withstand repeated use without becoming bulky and also an inner layer made of a lighter, softer material that is hypoallergenic and can quickly absorb the sweat formed on the foot.

The opening 10 provides access for the shoe's wearer to insert his foot into the shoe 100. It is defined by the toe portion 20 in the front, inner portion 30 and outer portion 40 on the sides and the heel portion 50 to the back. To ensure that the shoe stays on the dancer's foot securely, the shoe 100 may include a restricting mechanism to restrict or narrow the opening 10. By way of a non-limiting example, the top edge 12 along the toe portion 20, inner portion 30, outer portion 40 and the heel portion 50 defining the opening 10 may be constructed using elastic bands or other stretchy materials. In addition, the top edge 12 may define a hollow inner space for one or more drawstring 11, such that the wearer may manually pull the drawstrings 11 to narrow the opening 10, for example, to secure the shoe 100 to the foot. The drawstrings 11 may be two separate drawstrings, or two ends of a single string. The opening for the drawstrings 11 may be positioned toward the front, the back or either side of the opening 10. The drawstring 11 may be of any length. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the drawstrings 11 are long enough for the wearer to tie the drawstrings together in a first knot to maintain the opening 10 in its restricted state, as well as one or more second knots after wrapping one or more of the drawstrings around the foot.

Other types of restricting mechanisms may also include a top band that rests on the top of the foot of the wearer. The top band may be a unitary piece of elastic material that can be stretched or may include two or more elastic or non-elastic portions that can be joined together by tying, connecting via hook-and-eye connectors, a button, etc., to secure the shoe 100 onto the wearer's foot.

The current invention also includes a bottom portion 60. The bottom portion comprises a front portion 61 and back portion 62 as shown in FIG. 2. The front portion 61 and the back portion 62 preferably include at least one cushioned area each, ball cushion portion 611 and heel cushion portion 621, respectively. Both cushioned areas may be made from various textiles, in singular or multiple layers, and can be made from shock-absorbing materials, such as gel or foam. Preferably, the cushioned areas include an exterior layer and an interior layer, wherein the exterior layer is on the exterior of the shoe 100 and does not come directly in contact with the foot, and the interior layer is on the interior of the shoe 100.

Whereas the size and shape of the cushioned areas may vary, the ball cushion portion 611 is preferably shaped and positioned to correspond to the general shape of the ball of the foot of the wearer, with the widest part of the ball cushion portion 61 positioned underneath the ball of the foot, and the rest of the ball cushion portion 611 tapered to a narrower end along the length of the shoe. The ball cushion portion 611 may but does not necessarily extend the full width of the bottom portion 60 at the ball area of the foot. For example, if the ball cushion portion 611 is wide enough to cushion the ball of the foot, a narrower ball cushion portion may suffice. Similarly, it may but does not necessarily extend the full length of the front portion 61 of the bottom portion 62. The heel cushion portion 621 may be of any shape, preferably round or oval in shape, and may have a slightly smaller width and length than those of the back portion 62.

Referring to FIG. 1, the toe portion 20 generally covers the wearer's toes. It may be shaped slopingly downward from the opening 10 to the bottom portion 60, and connect to inner portion 30 and outer portion 40 on the sides. Preferably, the length of the toe portion 20 does not cover much more than the wearer's toes to allow more parts of the top of the foot to be exposed when the shoe 100 is worn. Such a short toe portion 20 may provide the illusion that the wearer has a longer leg, especially when the wearer is pointing his foot.

The inner portion 30 covers the inner portion of a wearer's foot, extending from the big toe to the heel, connecting to the toe portion 20 and the heel portion 50, at the respective positions. The height of the inner portion 30 is preferably kept to a minimum, so long as the shoe can be securely worn.

The inner portion 30 comprises an arch region 31. The arch region 31 is located within the inner portion 30 that roughly corresponds to the instep of the human foot, from the first metatarsophalangeal joint around plane 31A to where the inner portion 30 connects to the heel portion 50 around plane 31B, but may be designed and constructed to exaggerate the wearer's natural arch. A greater height and length of the arch region 31 may give the illusion that the wearer has a higher arch and shorter toes than in reality. In one example, as shown in FIG. 1, the top of the arch region 31 reaches the opening 10. The arch region 31 may also be elongated to pass planes 31A and 31B, see FIG. 3. To further aid the illusion, the arch region 31 may be constructed using a material darker than that of the toe region 20 and the heel region 50. It may be also be made in the same color or material as the bottom portion 60. When wearing a shoe 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the wearer may not need to overly point his toes in order to achieve the illusion of a well-arched foot because the darker material of the arch region 31 preferably mimics and/or exaggerates the shadow under the wearer's instep.

To further aid the wearer in creating a more elongated line, arch region 31 may be made from an elastic material to provide a more snug fit to the wearer's foot. Using an elastic material may eliminate unnecessary fabric that often tends to bunch up under the instep when the relative distance between the ball of the foot and the ankle is decreased when the toes are pointed. In one embodiment of the invention, portions of the bottom portion 60 may be constructed from a single piece of the same material as the arch region 31, as seen in FIG. 2, to provide a seamless connection between the inner portion 30 and the bottom portion 60.

The arch region 31 may further comprise an elastic arch support 311 proximate the inside of the inner portion 30. The elastic arch support 311 may be positioned along the instep of the foot, from around plane 31A to plane 31B and may provide lift and support to the wearer's arch without decreasing his flexibility. The length of the elastic arch support 311 may vary with the design and size of the shoe. However, it is preferred that the stretched length of the elastic arch support 311 is less than or equal to the length of the instep, so that even when the relative distance between the ball of the foot and the ankle is decreased when the foot is pointed, the tension in the elastic arch support 311 can provide support to the arch. Similarly, the width of the elastic arch support may vary as a matter of design choice.

The shoe 100 may further comprise an inner support layer 312, positioned inside shoe 100 adjacent to the inner portion 30. It is preferably longer than the arch region 31 and is connected to front portion 61 and the back portion 62 of the bottom portion 60. The inner support layer 312 may be wide enough to wrap around the bottom of the wearer's foot from the top of the inner portion 30 to the outer portion 40. The inner support layer 312 is preferably invisible when the shoe 100 is worn. The inner support layer 312 may be made from any elastic material to provide a more snug fit to the wearer's foot. Using an elastic material may eliminate unnecessary fabric that tends to bunch up under the instep when the relative distance between the ball of the foot and the ankle is decreased when the toes are pointed. The inner support layer 312 may also support the wearer's arch and may help the wearer point his/her toe. The shoe 100 may include both an inner support layer 312 and elastic arch support 311, as shown in FIG. 3, or the shoe 100 may have either the inner support layer 312 or the elastic arch support 311.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a bunion suppression portion 32 may be included. The bunion suppression portion 32 is generally located toward the front of the inner portion 30 proximate where the inner portion 30 connects to the toe portion 20 at plane 31A. The bunion suppression portion 32 is preferably sewn into the inner wall of the inner portion 30 so as to not be visible when the shoe 100 is worn.

The bunion suppression portion 32 is preferably made from material that provides sufficient cushioning. By way of non-limiting examples, the bunion suppression portion 32 may be made from gel or foam. It may provide cushion and/or suppression to the area around the first metatarsophalangeal joint where a bunion may grow, without applying too much pressure as to deform the bone structure. Preferably, the bunion suppression portion 32 extends upward along the toe portion 20 above the big toe and downward along bottom portion 60 below the big toe, effectively surrounding the metatarsophalangeal joint on three sides.

Preferably, on the opposite side of the shoe 100 from the inner portion 30 is the outer portion 40. The outer portion 40 may be designed to be symmetrical to the inner portion 30. However, because the two sides of a foot are not anatomically symmetrical, it is preferable that the inner portion 30 and the outer portion 40 are not symmetrical either. The height of the outer portion 40 is preferably low, more preferably as low as possible to expose as much of the foot as possible, as long as the shoe 100 can be worn securely by the wearer. The height of the outer portion 40 may also be the same as or greater than that of the inner portion 30 without deviating from the scope of the invention. In addition, the outer portion 40 may or may not be made from similar material as inner portion 30.

An outer suppression portion 42 may also be included in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The outer suppression portion 42 may be positioned on the inner wall of the outer portion 40. Similar to bunion suppression portion 32, outer suppression portion 42 may extend upward and downward to provide cushion to the top, side and bottom of the fifth metatarsophalangeal bone of the wearer. Preferably, outer suppression portion 42 provides additional shock absorbance and prevents blister formation.

The examples provided are merely exemplary, additional alterations can be made, as a way of non-limiting example, the length, width, shape of the various portions of the shoe may vary as a matter of application specific to design choice, and should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 

We claim:
 1. A shoe for enhancing the appearance of a wearer's arch, the shoe comprising: an outer portion; and an instep portion; wherein said instep portion is shaped and positioned to create the illusion of a longer or higher arch.
 2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the instep portion is made from an elastic material.
 3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the instep portion is shaped longer and higher than the wearer's natural arch.
 4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the instep portion is made of the same material as the rest of the shoe but further comprises a design or color to create an appearance of a shadow.
 5. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the instep portion is made of a material different in color or in composition from the rest of the shoe.
 6. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising an arch support mechanism, said arch support mechanism proximate to the instep portion.
 7. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the arch support mechanism comprises an elastic band stretching along the instep of the foot.
 8. The shoe of claim 6, wherein the arch support mechanism comprises an inner support layer made from an elastic material.
 9. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising at least one bunion suppression portion.
 10. A shoe comprising: an outer portion; an inner portion; and an elastic arch support; wherein the elastic arch support is positioned proximate the inner portion along the instep of a wearer's foot.
 11. The shoe of claim 10, wherein the inner portion further comprises an arch support region made from an elastic material capable of providing lift and support to the wearer's arch.
 12. The shoe of claim 11, further comprising a bottom portion, wherein the arch support region and the bottom portion are constructed from a single piece of elastic material.
 13. The shoe of claim 10, further comprising an inner support layer, said inner support layer positioned proximate the inner portion and the elastic arch support.
 14. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the inner support layer is made of an elastic material.
 15. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the inner support layer extends to cover the bottom of the wearer's foot.
 16. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the inner support layer is longer than the elastic arch support.
 17. A shoe comprising: an outer portion; an inner portion having an arch region; an elastic arch support; and at least one bunion suppression portion; wherein the elastic arch support is positioned proximate the inner portion along the instep of a wearer's foot; wherein the arch region of the inner portion is shaped and positioned to create the illusion of a longer or higher arch; and wherein the at least one bunion suppression portion is positioned to prevent the wearer's foot from development of a bunion.
 18. The shoe of claim 17, wherein the at least one bunion suppression portion is positioned next to the wearer's first metatarsophalangeal joint.
 19. The shoe of claim 17, further comprising at least one cushion.
 20. The shoe of claim 19, wherein the at least one cushion is on the bottom near the ball of the wearer's foot. 